Mobile & Internet

Apple plans to launch 6-inch screen iPhone next year

[ET NEWS]Apple has started the development of a 6-inch OLED iPhone with aims to launch the largest-ever screen iPhone next year, industry sources said on Aug. 31.

The largest iPhone available now is a 5.5-inch LCD model.

Sources said Apple plans to launch two OLED iPhones next year -- a 5.85-inch and 6.46-inch models. The 5.58-inch is the same size screen of the upcoming iPhone 8 this year.

Apple has started development work with Samsung Display, the sole OLED supplier, and other parts makers earlier than usual, sources said.

“The development schedule has been advanced considering diverse factors such as funding, facility investment and production plans,” a sources close to the matter told ET News on condition of anonymity.

“Work for this year’s iPhone started in April, also earlier than usual.”

Sources said Apple until recently considered launching 5.28-inch and 6.46-inch OLED iPhones next year but the plan for the 5.28-inch model was ditched due to the growing consumer demand for bigger-screen phones and related technical progress such as full-screen display.

If the plan goes ahead as planned, Apple will sell three OLED models next year following the debut of the first one later this year. Considering iPhone sells more than 200 million units every year, it is estimated to secure OLED panels for 70 million phones this year and the number could surge to 170 million next year.